Pieces of Haley
by Tea1689
Summary: A piece of their world was ripped away. Is their hope enough to bring it back...Or will they be forced to move on? Nathan&Lucas Brucas
1. Open Your Eyes

_Hey guys...  
I wrote this story a while ago, but I am just now posting it on this site. I should have the next chapter up soon.  
So please read it and tell me what you think. Thanks.  
_

Summary: A piece of their world was ripped away. Is their hope enough to bring it back...Or will they be forced to move on? (Nathan&Lucas) (Brucas)

**OPEN YOUR EYES  
Chapter 1**

Nathan couldn't take his eyes off of her; she looked so frail, like she was going to break if he touched her. His face was stained with fallen tears, his eyes puffy and red. He slowly reached out and took her hand in his gently; it was cold. "Hales." He whispered but got no response. He wanted to prove them wrong, he wanted to show them that they didn't know what they were talking about. "Come on Haley." He tried again; his voice was raspy, full of emotion.

Lucas stood on her other side, his hand stroking her hair gently. He was trying to be strong, for her and for his little brother. His image reflected Nathan's. The door slowly creaked open the doctor walked towards them. "Mr. Scott?" He questioned. Both boys looked up, sadness etched on their faces.

"Nathan Scott." Nathan turned slightly in his seat to address him.

"Could you excuse us for a minute?" The doctor turned to Lucas politely.

"He's family." Nathan said softly as he smiled lightly towards Lucas. "He can stay."

"Alright." He said flipping through the chart. "Nathan, usually I'm not allowed to reveal this type of information, but in this circumstance I can. We ran some tests and found out that Haley is pregnant."

"Pregnant." Nathan stated again in shock. "But you said she wasn't going to live."

"Haley is brain dead." The doctor said glumly. "But as long as her body is still pumping blood then the baby is still alive."

"So if you take her off the life support then the baby dies?" Lucas asked.

"That's right." The doctor replied. "Nathan, you have two options. You can either have the baby delivered now and there is a very slim chance that it will survive. Or you can keep Haley on life support and have the baby carried to full term. You have to decided what Haley would want."

"The baby." Nathan stated confidently as he smiled lightly at Haley. "She would want the best chance for the baby."

"Ok." The doctor wrote something on her chart. "Do you guys have any other questions?"

"How far along is she?" Nathan asked.

"Almost four months." The doctor replied. "Would you like to see?" Nathan nodded as the doctor pulled the machine over.

"Right there." He said pointing at the black and white picture on the screen. He hit a button and a loud beat entered the small room. "That's the baby's heart beat. Wait a second…"

"What?" Nathan asked anxiously. "Is something wrong with the baby?"

"Shh." The doctor replied as he moved the thing around Haley's stomach. "Wow."

"What? What is it?" Nathan started to grow impatient.

"Nathan." The doctor said pointing at the screen again. "Haley is having twins."

"Twins?" Lucas asked. "As in two?"

"Ya." The doctor stated. He pressed another button and it printed out two pictures.

"Can you tell what they are?" Nathan questioned curiously.

"Well this one." The doctor said moving it around again. "This ones a boy."

"A son." Nathan stated in shock.

"And this one here." The doctor stated. "Is a girl."

"Both." Nathan said in shock, his hand squeezing Haley's. The doctor excused himself quietly leaving Nathan and Lucas alone in the room again. "You hear that Hales?" Nathan said, his hand cupping her cheek. "A son and a daughter."

"I'm gonna go call her parents." Lucas said quietly as he stood.

"I already did." Nathan stated. "They'll be here tomorrow. But could you call your mom, she should be here. And Peyton and Brooke. They should know too. I tried to call Keith, but I couldn't get a hold of him."

"Sure." Lucas replied softly. He left the room quickly, leaving just Nathan sitting by Haley's bedside.

"Hales." Nathan said hoarsely. He stared at her face; her eyes were closed like she was sleeping, but he knew she wasn't, he knew she would never again open them. He would never see her smile, he would never see her brown eyes staring back at him; he wouldn't feel her arms wrapped around him. A tear slowly slid down his cheek and landed on his lips; he licked it away as another one fell. "I need you Haley." He said as he wiped at his face. "I need you in my life. Luke needs you too. And so do our children."

His lip quivered as he sat next to her. Another tear streaked down his face, but her hand didn't rise to wipe it away like it had done in the past; her lips didn't move to tell him that everything would be ok. The tears quickened and fell faster against the bed. His lips grazed her hand gently; he rested his chin lightly against the bed as he took in the image of his wife. "I love you Haley." He said as his eyes slowly shut and he fell into a sleep where he was happy; where he had Haley.

Lucas stood against the door as his emotions took over his body. His tears sprang from his eyes but he didn't bother to wipe them away. His body shook with each sob as he slowly sank to the floor. How was he supposed to go on living without his best friend? He knew he had to though; he had to be there for Nathan and for his new niece and nephew. Slowly the tears subsided and he rose to his feet.

He pressed the familiar numbers into his phone and it started to ring. "Mom." He whispered into the phone as he tried to fight back a new wave of tears. "It's Haley…" His hand trembled as he struggled to keep the phone to his ear. The line went dead so he dialed the next number.

He pressed end on the phone; he had called everyone. He held the phone in his hands debating whether he should make the next call but then hit the buttons. It rang a few times and he sighed, slowly he moved his thumb to the end button to hang up when the voice filled his ears. "Lucas…" The voice came through the phone.

"Keith." Lucas strained his voice to keep it steady. "There's been an accident."

"An accident?" Keith questioned. "What kind of accident?"

"A car accident." Lucas said as his voice broke. "It's Haley."

"I'll be there tonight." Keith replied. "Stay strong Luke."

Lucas nodded even though Keith couldn't see him, but it was the only thing he could do. If he opened his mouth then the tears would take over again and he didn't think that he would be able to stop this time. He hit end again as his body fell against the hard plastic chair and he rested his head in his hands.

"Lucas." She shook his shoulder gently. He slowly lifted his head as his eyes fluttered open; he didn't know how long he had been asleep for, he didn't even remember falling asleep.

"I was hoping it was a dream." He mumbled softly as her arms encircled him. "I can't do this mom." He whispered into her hair and he hugged her tightly. They stood that way, hugging in the hallway until the sounds of footsteps approached and stopped at their side.

"Luke." Brooke whispered, her hand resting on his shoulder. He slowly lifted his head from his mom's shoulder and looked into the eyes of the two girls standing at his side.

"I'm gonna go see how Nathan is doing." Peyton said slipping past them and pushing through the door of the room; Karen followed closely behind her.

Lucas quickly threw his arms around Brooke; his body shook as she struggled to hold his weight in her arms. He slowly pulled back after a few minutes, his eyes peering into hers. She lifted her thumb and wiped away a few tears that had slipped from his eyes. He slowly leaned in, his lips grazing hers in a meaningful kiss. He pulled back and looked at her as her eyes slowly fluttered back open and met his piercing blue ones. "Don't ever leave me." He whispered as he gripped her hands tightly in his.


	2. I'm Lost Without You

Hey...  
Just want to say thanks to JeniRose for reviewing.  
This is the second chapter...so please read it and tell me what you think.  
Thanks.

Summary: A piece of their world was ripped away. Is their hope enough to bring it back...Or will they be forced to move on? Nathan&Lucas Brucas

**I'M LOST WITHOUT YOU  
CHAPTER 2**

He sat on the hard cement, alone, just him and his thoughts. He couldn't stand to be in the hospital for more than a few minutes, it was way too hard to see her lying there in the bed. The room had a deafening silence to it; the beeping of the monitors and the outside world moving on outside would spin in his mind as he clasped her hand in his. There was so much noise, but none of it was her voice, none of it was comforting.

He lifted the cigarette up to his mouth again and took another long drag. He heard the quiet footsteps becoming louder behind him but didn't bother to turn around; he didn't care who it was. Whoever it was stopped beside him and he twisted his head to see, his eyes squinting from the sun; it was Haley's mom.

He lifted the cigarette to his lips again, but she snatched it from his hands and threw it to the ground. He didn't complain, just reached into his pocket and grabbed another and stuck it into his mouth; but again she threw it to the floor. Sighing he returned the pack to his pocket and moved his gaze back out to the river.

"I should have been there to protect her." He whispered after a few minutes. The both were still staring at the river, neither bothering to bring themselves back to reality and face what was going on. She had been to the hospital, but just like him, it was too hard.

"It wasn't your fault." She replied quietly. He sighed, the memories flooding back into his mind, they haunted his dreams every night and everyday. Images of her bloodied body tangled in the car would flash in front of his eyes. He had found her right after the accident, he was the one who had pulled her from the car and rushed her to the hospital.

"She was coming to find me." He said squeezing his eyes shut in an attempt to stop the images. They still flew through his mind though, he couldn't stop them. His knuckles started to turn white as he gripped the table, his breath coming in short gasps as he tried to push back the lump that had formed in his throat. "I was playing basketball, and she was coming to find me."

"It's not your fault." She stated again, but her voice was shaky this time, her emotions breaking through the walls that she had put up to keep herself strong. She stopped her self from thinking about her daughter lying the in the hospital, stopped herself from thinking about the life her daughter would never live.

"If I hadn't been playing basketball at the river court then she never would have been in the car looking for me." He raised his voice as he sprang up from the table. He bounced the orange ball in his hands roughly against the ground, his anger getting the best of him. "It was my fault." He mumbled to himself before throwing the ball into the water and walking away leaving her mom alone.

He walked along the street, his eyes fixed on his feet as he avoided the sympathetic stares from people that had heard about Haley's accident. He hated the look in their eyes as they offered their condolences to him; he hated how they acted like they actually cared. He reached into his pocket and pulled out another cigarette, his lips clamping on it as he cupped his hand around the end and lit it. The smoke filled his lungs, and the numbing feeling spread to his mind, finally silencing his thoughts.

The bells jingled as he pushed the café doors open the cigarette still between his lips as he walked behind the counter and slipped on the apron. He blew the smoke from his mouth and it rose in circles above his head; taking one last drag he put it out knowing that smoking wasn't allowed in the café.

He made his way to a recently vacated table and slid the dirty dishes into the bucket. He could feel their eyes on him, sense their pitied glances. He heard them whisper about it, about the accident, or about how broken he looked. He tried to take his mind off of it all, forcing himself to focus on anything but that.

The bells jingled again and he lifted his head slightly to see Peyton and Brooke enter and sit at the counter. They both offered small, forced, smiles, but he didn't return it; he simply returned his gaze back to the table.

Music played softly in the background of the café, it was quiet, but he still heard it and tried to focus on it, maybe it could keep his mind from wandering. He moved to the table beside him and started to stack the plates. But that's when he heard it, it was her voice, she was singing on the radio, her song from the tour was being played. He stepped back, the plate crashing to the floor and shattering; people's heads jerked around to the noise as they watched him slowly back away. He took small steps back away from the broken glass, his mind spinning, and his heart racing. He turned quickly, his feet carrying him as fast as he could away from everyone.

He stood on the café roof, tears unwillingly slipping from his eyes. The door creaked open behind him, again he didn't turn, but not because he didn't care, but because he knew who it was. His hands shook as he struggled to light the cigarette, his mind still spinning. He leaned himself on the edge of the building, the evening air blowing through his hair as he inhaled deeply, the chemicals racing through his mind, calming him.

She didn't bother to ask him if he was all right, she already knew the answer. She stood beside him silent, her eyes scanning his face. He had dark circles under his eyes, and his chin was covered with hair; he hadn't done anything since the accident, he was still in the same clothes, which were now wrinkled and smelled of smoke, and he hadn't slept.

She slowly reached her hand out and grazed his cheek, but he jerked away like she had burned him. He blew out the smoke from his lungs as she watched him with worried eyes; her hand slowly fell down to the edge and rested beside his. "That's bad for you." She said quietly as he lifted the cigarette to his mouth again. He turned his attention towards her and took another drag as to challenge her; the smoke escaped his lips, rising into the air between them. Her eyes didn't break from his as he lifted it to his mouth again; she cocked her head to the side as to restate herself.

He flicked the cigarette beside him and rolled his eyes as he blew out another puff. "What are you doing here?" He questioned her. He slid himself onto the ledge, his back facing the street below.

"I was worried about you." She stated quietly as she rested her hand on his knee. He quickly broke their stare, his eyes darting away from hers as he searched for something else to focus on.

"Well don't be." He said harshly, his eyes never meeting hers. He knew if he looked into him then he would let her in, but that's not what he wanted. If he blocked everyone out, never let anyone that close again, then he would never feel this kind of pain if something happened. He would keep everyone at arms reach, never letting them into his heart, never feeling the pain when they left him; cause if one thing was for sure, it was what Peyton had said, 'People always leave.' So why should he have to feel that pain when they did?

Her hand slowly fell down to her side, her fingers sliding down his leg as it did. She took a step back, her eyes searching his face for any type of emotion, but she only saw pain. She knew he was going through a hard time, but why was he mad at her? She slowly started walking backwards towards the door; and for a moment he let his eyes meet hers, and he saw the hurt in them. He gaze fell to the ground as her hand landed on the doorknob. "Brooke wait." He pushed himself off the ledge and walked to her. He laced his fingers in hers, both of his hands gripping one of hers. "I didn't mean that."

"I know." She said moving closer to him. She used her other hand to wipe away a few tears that had escaped his eyes and rested her hand on his arm. His forehead fell to hers, and rested there, their eyes meeting again.

"I need you." He whispered sincerely. She stroked his hair comfortingly, trying to bring him at least a little bit of peace, if only for a moment. She wished she could take his pain away, wished she could stop him from hurting; but there were only two things that could do that, time or Haley. So for now, he would have to deal with the pain, because she couldn't speed up time, and she couldn't be Haley.

"You're gonna be ok Luke." She whispered. He only nodded even though he didn't think so.

* * *

The other boy sat on the hospital chair, his eyes staring at his wife. He was looking at her though; instead memories of them were in his eyes. The room was dark, except from the moonlight spilling in from the blinds and the light coming from her monitors. The door slowly creaked open and he turned his head to see who it was.

The guy walked hesitantly into the room the black case gripped tightly in his hand, not sure how he would be greeted from Nathan. He took another step forward when he realized Nathan wasn't punching his face in. He stood next to him, still out of arm's reach, but in the room. He shifted nervously, waiting to see any type of reaction from Nathan; whether it be yelling or threatening, or physical pain, but there wasn't any. Nathan sat still in the chair; Nathan's eyes met his for a brief moment but then he looked back towards his wife.

He still stood anxiously, not sure what to do. Slowly he sat in the chair on the other side of the bed and turned his gaze to Haley. "I heard on the news." He said quietly. "I was hoping it wasn't true." He set the case beside him and looked to Nathan.

"It is." Nathan replied. "The doctor said she's brain dead, that she won't ever wake up." His lip trembled as he fought to keep his tears in; his face was still stained from the last time he let them run down his face. He didn't have the will to be mad or upset at him; he didn't have that kind of strength anymore.

"I'm sorry." He whispered as he moved his eyes downward to see Nathan's hand tightly gripping Haley's. "For everything." Nathan nodded, his teeth biting his lip to keep himself in control.

"I want you to play." Nathan said, his eyes lighting up slightly as he looked at the man across from him. He sat up in his chair, his attention now on the other man. "I want you to sing."

He shifted again, not sure what to do. Music is what had driven them apart before, sure he had a part of it, but the music did too. Haley had the talent, she had the voice, she had what it took, but Nathan had her heart. He looked into Nathan's eyes and saw the hope in them and slowly pulled his guitar out.

He knew exactly what Nathan was thinking; Haley loved the music, maybe she would waken. He pushed all of his thoughts out of his head and rested his fingers against the strings and began to play softly.

His voice filled the room, covering up the monitor's beeping. In his heart he wished that maybe, just maybe, that it would work. But his mind kept screaming that it wouldn't, that she would never wake up. He felt the guilt as he sang; he had taken Haley away from Nathan, taken Nathan's love away. And now here he was, sitting at her bedside, trying to hold onto a life that he would never have now, holding onto a love that was being taken away, again. He had taken away precious moments that they could have had together; Haley only had a short amount of time on this earth, and only had one true love, but he had almost destroyed that.

He finished the song, his eyes glued to Haley, praying that it would work. But she didn't move; a tear slowly slid down his face, but he quickly wiped it away, Chris Keller didn't cry. Nathan sat back in his chair again, defeat overcoming him. He closed his eyes tightly, his heart breaking at her still body.

* * *

Brooke leaned her head on her elbow as she stroked his blonde locks; he had tried to fight it, but sleep finally overtook his worn out body. He watched him sleep, but it wasn't peaceful as it had once been; instead he face was stern. She laid a kiss on his cheek, and then rested her head on his chest before she too fell into an unmerciful sleep.

* * *

Chris quietly put his guitar back into his case and moved towards the door; Nathan had fallen asleep a little bit ago, and he didn't want to wake him. He nodded as Peyton walked into the room and sat down across from Nathan. "He just fell asleep." Chris whispered as he left.

She placed a bag onto the chair next to him; she had gone to his house earlier to get some clothes and food for him so he wouldn't have to leave. She also got his work from school so he wouldn't fall behind.

She took the folded paper from her pocket and laid it on the small table next to him. It was a simple drawing; it was of a heart, and on it was a band-aid with the word 'hope' written on it. It wasn't a spectacular sketch, and the words weren't poetry, but they still had meaning.


	3. Home

_Hey Guys...  
So here's chapter 3, I hope you like it.  
Thanks for all of the reviews.  
_  
Summary: A piece of their world was ripped away. Is their hope enough to bring it back...Or will they be forced to move on? (Nathan&Lucas) (Brucas)

**HOME  
CHAPTER 3**

I slowly opened my eyes, the now familiar surroundings burning the hole in my heart a little bigger. Every night I fall asleep at her bedside, praying that when I wake up everything will be ok; and every morning I awake and find out that it was real.

I sit up gently, my muscles cramping from the unusual position that I was sitting in. I stand up, a long yawn escaping my lips. It seems that no matter how much sleep I get that it is never enough; I can't remember the last night I got a good night sleep and woke up feeling rested.

I quietly walk out of the small room, careful not to make too much noise. I walk down the halls, the ones I could walk down with my eyes close. I keep my head to my feet, careful not to meet anyone's eyes; the eyes that I know hold pity and sympathy. In the bathroom I splash water on my face, making sure not to look in the mirror. I'm afraid of what I'll see, what my eyes will hold.

I make a stop in the cafeteria, grabbing two coffees and some donuts and then make my way back to the room. "Hey." I whisper quietly as I hand Nathan the other coffee. He nods, no emotion on his face, no words spoken. I take my seat across from him, and as usual we sit in silence. I want to say something, something that will make him feel better, make him have a hope for the future. I want to tell him that everything is going to be ok, but how do I tell him that, when I don't even believe it myself?

I can't even begin to imagine the pain that he feels right now; sure she is my best friend, but she was his wife. He looks like a robot, showing no emotion. His face is still and his eyes are blank. But I know, somewhere in there, somewhere deep down inside, that he is still there, because late at night, I hear him cry in his sleep.

"You should go." Nathan says. My eyes quickly fix to him, confusion flooding mine. His eyes finally meet mine, and for a second, I think I see something, but as quick as it came, its gone again. I stare at him, wondering if he really said something or if I just imagined it. "Go home Lucas." He states, and this time I'm sure.

"I, uh…" I don't even know what to say. He stares blankly at me and I stare back. Still he shows nothing, no sign of life within.

"I don't want you here." He mumbles, his eyes leaving mine and focusing on anything but me. I want to protest, tell him no, but I don't have it in me. I stand up silently, my heart breaking with each step I take towards the door. I rest my fingers on the knob and take one look back at Haley, and then at Nathan. I push the door open and walk out.

I'm not really sure where to go from here. I walk down the street, my feet scuffing the sidewalk as people walk past me rushing to work or to school. I find myself walking up the pathway to a familiar house, one that I've been to many times before. I push open the front door and walk up the stairs; I can hear music playing, its almost like its calling me. I push open the bedroom door and fall down onto the bed, my face buried in the pillow.

"Luke." A voice says from across the room. "What are you doing here?" The weight shifts on the bed and I can tell she sat down on it. I feel her hand on my back, rubbing soft circles, but it isn't comforting. I mumble how Nathan kicked me out into the pillow, but I doubt it's very audible.

"Hey Peyt…" I hear another common voice enter the room and the footsteps stop abruptly, probably because he sees me lying on the bed. I move my head to the side to look at him, and like I suspected, the pity was etched into his features.

"Morning." I say hoarsely. He walks a little closer, Jenny on his hip and stops in front of the bed. "Hey Jenny." I say tickling her stomach a little; she lets out a light laugh. I can't stop myself from smiling a bit.

"You okay man?" Jake questions concernedly. I shrug as I flip myself over onto my back.

"I hate to do this Luke. But we really have to get to school." Peyton says. I nod telling her that I understand. Then she grabs my hand and pulls me up with her. "You're coming."

"Peyton, no." I say shaking my head for emphasis. I can't go back there yet; I can't face all the people with their looks and fake sympathy. I'm not ready. "I can't."

"Too bad." She says grabbing some clothes out of the closet and throwing them at my chest. I look at them and then back up at her. "Go get dressed, we'll wait." I look to Jake for support, but he just nods his head to the bathroom. I sigh and walk between them and into the bathroom.

* * *

Jake pulls me out of the car and I stumble onto the pavement; he thrusts my backpack into my chest and they pull me up to the school. "Ready?" Peyton questions me before we enter the building. I shake my head no, but she pulls me in anyway.

After through convincing I finally get Peyton t let me walk to my locker without her dragging me. She walks away with Jake, but promises me that she will be around later to make sure that I don't skip out. I walk down the hall; my eyes watching my feet guide me. I look up slowly, almost by instinct. I almost expect to see Haley at her locker, laughing and smiling like always. I run my fingers along it, the cold metal sending chills throughout me. I move down two lockers and dial in my combination. Instantly memories flood into my mind as I'm met with pictures hanging inside. I bury my head in it, blocking myself from the outside world.

I take deep breaths, trying to calm myself. How am I supposed to get through the whole day if I can't even handle opening my locker? I clench my jaw tightly, anger filling me. I'm not sure what I'm angry at; maybe it's Haley, for leaving me. Or maybe it's Nathan, for making me leave her. Or maybe even Peyton for making me come here.

I rip the pictures down quickly and shove them into the back of my locker and slam the door shut. People around me stop, trying to figure out what's going on, but I don't turn around to face them. "Luke." I feel a hand rest gently on my arm. I turn quickly and bury my head into her shoulder. Her arms wrap around me, stroking my hair, my back, anything they can.

"I can't do this." I whisper into her hair. She wraps her arms tighter, holding me close. After a few minutes she slowly pushes me back and looks into my eyes. I look away, not wanting her to see how broken I really am. "Don't." I say quietly.

She moves her hand slowly up my arm and cups my cheek, her hand running through the small beard that I have now. Slowly she tilts my head up and forces me to look into her eyes. I try to look away again but she holds me firmly in place. "You can." She says determinedly. I nod slowly, licking my lips and tasting the familiar saltiness.

The bell rings and people all around us start to scurry off to class. I take a deep breath and let it out slowly, willing my feet to walk. I take a step and she follows beside me. She takes my hand in hers, and its like a little bit of the weight that was sitting on my chest before was lifted. "Thanks Brooke." I smile lightly, but meaningfully at her as we walk into the classroom. She sits behind me, her hand resting on my shoulder as the second bell rings.

The teacher walks in a few seconds later. "Lucas." She says stopping right in front of my desk. I lift my head a little, acknowledging that she is there, but not looking at her. "I wasn't expecting you back so soon." I nod and she walks away.

Class drags on little by little, agonizingly slow. Finally the bell rings and I dart out as quick as I can, Brooke right behind me. I keep walking, my feet leading me somewhere, and I look up. The tutoring center. "I gotta get out of here." I whisper as Brooke stops beside me.

"No." Brooke says stepping in front of the doorway. I lift my eyes, for once, and stare into hers. I plead with her silently, and she nods as she pushes the door open and walks out first. She takes my hand and leads me to the car and we both get in. "I'll take you back to the hospital."

"Home." I mumble as I watch the trees whiz by. Drops lightly start to fall against the window, making a trail as they streak down it. A drop hits against the window and I trace it down with my finger. We pull into my driveway, the rain starting to fall harder as I step out of her car. I don't rush up to the door; I just take my time, letting the rain soak me. It's almost refreshing, the cool water dripping from my shaggy hair and splashing against my face. I stop before I get onto the porch and stare up at the sky, Brooke stands next to me and I feel a smile coming to my lips.

"What?" She questions, her confusion obvious. I run my fingers through my hair as the rain splatters against my face.

"Nothing." I smile again as I watch the rain fall on her. She smiles too. I rest my hand gently on her cheek, my thumb rubbing small circles under her eye. I lean in gently, my lips grazing hers. She runs her fingers through my drenched hair as she pulls me closer; no rain gets in between us. I pull back some and clasp her hand in mine and drag her inside quickly.

I pull off my sopping sweatshirt and it hits my floor with a thud. I pull her close to me again and lay her gently on my bed. The second our lips touch, something inside me changes. Suddenly, I don't feel as alone. It's almost as though the rain washed away my insecurity and loneliness. And even if it's only for a little bit, I'm glad to finally have a break from the pain that I've come all too familiar with.


	4. Smile Like You Mean It

Hey Guys...  
So, here's chapter 4...  
Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has read and replied. So, thanks.  
Please read this chapter and review, they really mean alot. Thanks.

Summary: A piece of their world was ripped away. Is their hope enough to bring it back...Or will they be forced to move on? Nathan&Lucas Brucas

**SMILE LIKE YOU MEAN IT  
CHAPTER 4**

I was sitting across from him and for a second his eyes met mine, and that's when I knew. It broke me even more to see that emptiness inside of him. And even though I knew it might cause more problems, I knew I still had to do it.

I told him to leave. Not because I didn't want him here, or because I didn't think he deserved to be here. I made him leave because I couldn't bear to see him so hurt. He has so much more out there to live for, and to spend his time sitting in a hospital room is such a waste. Me though? I lived for one thing and one thing only. Haley.

I saw the look that flashed across his face, but I blocked it out. I couldn't afford to let him know that I cared. I kept quiet and still and didn't let anything escape me. It took all I had to not break down as he walked past me and out that door. He is one of the only things that keeps me going everyday, him and the hope that Haley will someday come back to me. But with everyday that passes that hope fades slightly, and I fear the day that it is gone.

Sometimes I just want to run away, run away from everything that is here. I want to leave it all behind and start anew and rid myself of all the painful memories. I think about it all the time, but then I think about my children that haven't been born yet and I know that I can't do it.

* * *

It's been six months since that day, seven months since Haley. I finally convinced him to come back to school. I pleaded with him, told him that Haley wouldn't want him to just stop his life on account of her. He resisted at first, saying that he couldn't leave her there alone. But finally I wore him down and he agreed that I was right.

I pulled the truck around and parked it in my spot. We both stepped out, our bags hanging off our shoulders and stood in front of the school. "Ready?" I questioned.

"No." He said walking forward and pushing the doors open. Time seemed to stop, everyone seemed to be staring. I heard the whispers as we walked together through the halls. He hung his head low, his eyes concentrated on the ground.

"Nathan." A girl came bouncing up to him at our lockers. His head shot up as she rested her hand on his arm. I watched on with worry, afraid of how he was going to react. "I heard you were back." She smiled widely.

Nathan stared at her, his face full of confusion and shock. His eyes slowly met mine, they were pleading with me to do something, to make her disappear. "Ok, and were done now." I said grabbing her shoulders and spinning her away. He smiled wearily at me before turning his attention back to his locker.

"Hey." Brooke and Peyton walked over to us. I nodded to both, as did Nathan. Brooke wrapped her arms around my neck and attached her lips to mine. I sighed and pulled away as Nathan slammed his locker shut and took off down the hall.

Peyton patted me on the back before following him. I ran my fingers through my hair trying to figure out what to do. Brooke softly caressed my cheek, but after a second I pulled back.

"What's wrong?" She asked me worriedly. It's then I knew what I had to do, at least for now. I just hoped she would understand.

"We can't see each other anymore." I said preparing myself. I knew it was going to hurt her. It hurt me, but I had to do it.

"What?" She asked weakly. Her eyes started to tear up, and it took everything I had to not pull her into my arms and take it back. I watched as she bit her lip, something she always did when she was trying to keep herself together.

"I can't be with you." I stated again. I looked anywhere but in her eyes now. I couldn't look into her eyes and see the hurt that I caused. "I have to focus on Nathan, I can't let anything get in the way."

She nodded, telling me she understood, but I could tell she was still upset. "Ok. I'll uh…I'll see you around." She mumbled out before rushing beside me and leaving me standing there alone.

The day passed by agonizingly slow. Nathan and I barely spoke a word to each other and I hadn't seen Brooke since this morning. Since the accident Nathan and I both stopped playing basketball. It didn't seem fun anymore. I headed straight to the café after school.

I pushed open the door, the bells ringing as I did. I scanned around the tables, my eyes falling on Brooke, Nathan sitting across from her. I stopped where I was, suddenly my knees felt weak as I watched her talk with him.

As if she sensed me staring her head turned and her eyes met mine. I stared into the familiar brown eyes that used to hold only love for me. But now, there was something else in them, something that I hadn't seen before. "Lucas." My mom called from behind the counter. I slowly looked away and towards her.

"Sorry." I mumbled, my full attention now focused on her. "What's up?" I asked taking a seat at the counter. I heard the bells jingle behind me and I turned to see her walking out of the café. I watched until she got into her car and drove away.

"What's that about?" My mom questioned curiously. My attention snapped back to her.

"Nothing." I stated. She looked at me, questioning me. "We broke up, alright?"

"What happened?" She asked concerned.

"It just wouldn't work out." I sighed.

"Why not?" My mom asked. I didn't really want to explain why I had done it. I didn't think that anyone else would really understand.

"Just wouldn't." I shrugged.

"What happened to the little boy that used to make me read him fairy tales?" My mom questioned me. "The little boy that believed anything was possible?"

I looked back towards Nathan, but it wasn't really Nathan. He had changed completely. The once outgoing, happy guy I had once known was gone. He no longer took pleasure in anything. He rarely spoke more than a few words, and never looked anyone directly in the eye. "He grew up." I mumbled sullenly.

I drove Nathan back to his apartment and followed him inside. "You eaten?" I questioned looking through his cabinets. He sat back against the couch and flicked through the channels. He shook his head no. "I'll cook something." I offered pulling out a box. There wasn't much food, so the choices were limited.

"Here." I said setting a bowl into his lap. He stared down into, not making any move to pick up his spoon. "What? What's wrong?" I questioned.

He looked up at me, but I couldn't read the emotion on his face. "Food of the gods." He smiled sadly. I wanted to kill myself right then and there. How could I not remember that?

"Nate, man." I said quickly. "I'm so sorry."

"Nah." He gave me a true smile. "It's fine, really." He picked up the spoon and scooped some in his mouth. I nodded and turned my attention to the TV. "You know, we had this on our first date."

"That sounds like Haley." I laughed.

"Yeah." He laughed too. I hadn't heard him laugh in forever, it felt good to hear him laugh. "She could of ordered lobster or prime rib or something else. But instead…"

"She orders Mac and Cheese." I finished for him. We both laughed as we remembered stuff that Haley did. "She's done that since we were five. My mom cooked it one day and she was hooked."

"Hey Luke." Nathan said turning serious. His sudden change of tone kind of worried me. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry."

"For what?" I questioned curiously.

"For everything." Nathan said with a small smile. "For when we first met and I was a jackass to you, for all the problems we had since then, for shutting you out after everything with Haley. And for the way I reacted with Brooke this morning." I nodded, a small smile on my face too. "And I want to thank you…I don't know where I would be right now if it wasn't for you."

"Yeah…Me too." I nodded.

"So, what's going on with you and Brooke anyway?" Nathan asked curiously. "I mean, this morning you guys were making out. And then at the café you didn't say a word to each other and she stormed out."

"We broke up." I said quietly.

"What happened?" He questioned, his brow scrunched up in interest.

"I don't really want to talk about it." I shrugged lightly. I didn't want to tell him that I did it for him. He already has enough to deal with, he doesn't need to know. He would just get mad and yell at me. "Come on, lets play." I said motioning towards the playstation.

"You're going down." He said as we started the game. We both laughed.

"Sure." I laughed sarcastically. I reached over and pressed some buttons on his controller and smiled as he missed the shot.

"No fair!" Nathan cried. It was nice to have an escape from everything. I looked over at him and for the brief second I caught a glimpse of the old Nathan. The one with life in his eyes and a smile on his lips.


	5. A Moment Like This

Hey...  
So this is chapter 5...  
Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has read and replied.

Summary: A piece of their world was ripped away. Is their hope enough to bring it back...Or will they be forced to move on? Nathan & Lucas/Brucas

**A MOMENT LIKE THIS  
CHAPTER 5**

Nathan stood in the middle of the room trying to take in everything. The once vibrant room was now empty. Everything they had worked for was now packed up, put away into boxes. He sigh heavily as he shut the door to their former bedroom and to the life they built together.

"You got everything?" Lucas questioned his little brother as he glumly walked into the empty living room. Nathan nodded and slung the last bag over his shoulder. Lucas walked out the door but Nathan lagged behind.

He rested his fingertips on the light switch, his eyes scanning around the apartment one last time. His fingers pushed the small switch down and the room fell dark as he shut the door behind him.

He placed the bag into the back of the truck and climbed into the passenger seat. He kept telling himself that it was for the better; that he had to do it. He watched the building grow smaller and eventually grow out of sight as Lucas' drove away.

The truck pulled up to his new 'home', but it didn't feel like it. In fact, everything still felt surreal. He got out and stared up at the small white building that would be his new house. He followed Lucas up the path and pushed the door open.

He was greeted with colored walls and his furniture already inside. He walked through the house, amazed at how much more room it had than the apartment, but a part of him still longed for the small place, the place he and Haley had memories in. His hand glided up the rail as he walked up the stairs.

He pushed open the first door and was greeted with the intoxicating fresh paint smell. The room was painted blue with a basketball theme. There was a crib in the middle, a changing table to the side and a rocking chair. He smiled lightly at the little decorations and painting on the wall knowing that Peyton had done them.

He was once again greeted with fresh paint, this time pink, as he pushed open the next door. There were shades of pink and purple everywhere, and little dolls and stuffed animals lined the shelves. There was another crib, changing table and rocking chair.

He walked down the hall and pushed open the next door. It was a simple room; sitting in the middle was a bed, on either side a nightstand, and a dresser on the wall. A basketball sat in the corner next to a bookshelf full of old novels. It had to be Lucas' room.

He crossed the hall and opened the final door. It was also a simple room, not much in it. In the middle sat his bed, along the wall were two dressers. He lifted a frame from one and traced the woman's face with his thumb. He set it back down gently before collapsing onto his bed and burying his face in the pillows. Sometimes if he tried really hard he could still smell her exhilarating smell on hers. He closed his eyes and fell into a light nap.

Lucas pushed open the door and laughed lightly to himself at his brother. He was supposed to be unpacking his clothes, but instead he was sleeping. He was about to wake him but decided against it. This was probably the most sleep he was going to get in a while anyway. In less than a week Nathan would be the proud father of two newborn twins.

He closed the door quietly and walked into his new room. They had decided that Lucas should stay with him for a while, at least until he got settled with the twins. He shut his door behind him and placed his bag onto his bed. He pulled out some clothes and set them in front of him and then pulled out some picture frames.

He set the first one on the dresser; it was of him and Haley when they were younger. He loved the picture, it was the day that they declared that they would be best friends. They both held a youthful smile. He placed another one beside it; this one was of him and Nate right after they won the state-championship. Nathan held the champion trophy as Lucas clutched the game ball.

He picked up the next one and held it tightly in his grasp. The girl in the picture was so carefree and happy. She smiled broadly at the camera, her eyes lighting up at the sight of the boy taking the photo. He remembered that day exactly. He had surprised her and came back early from vacation. He held roses in his hand as she ran towards him. He had snapped the picture wanting always to remember that moment when they were happy, together.

He licked his suddenly dry lips as he placed the picture on his nightstand facing his bed. He sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the wall. Where had his life gone so wrong? He remembered a day when he had been happy with it being just him and Haley; Luke and Hales against the world. But now, Haley was gone, Brooke was gone, and Nathan barely spoke.

He leaned back and rested his head against the pillow, his eyes fixed to the ceiling. It amazed him how everything could change so drastically over such a short period of time. Within the span of two years he had gone from a loner bookworm who only hung out with his best friend and despised everything in their world, especially his so-called 'brother' to a star basketball player who was dating the head cheerleader. And now, his best friend was lying in a hospital, and he had pushed away the love of his life to help his brother, who he was now living with and would soon be the uncle of his children.

The was a light knock on the door and then it slowly creaked open. "Hey." Nathan said walking it and leaning against his dresser. "I was wondering if you wanted to do something?" Nathan asked hopefully.

Lucas swung his legs around and sat on the edge of the bed. "Like what?" He questioned.

"I dunno. Maybe go for a run?" Nathan suggested. Lucas nodded and stood up. "Explore?"

The walked out the front door taking in the bright sun in the new neighborhood. The town was nice, almost the same as Tree Hill. They had moved just outside of Tree Hill, trying to escape everything that the town held.

They ran down the streets, taking in the houses, the buildings, the people. It felt good to be away from everything, to be able to start over almost completely. And yet, as they looked up, they found they had returned. "Come on." Nathan said hitting Lucas' chest and jogging onto the familiar court.

"We don't have a ball." Lucas stated as he stood in the middle of the court. Nathan bent down beside the table and picked up a ball, surprised to see that no one had touched it since he left it there. "Alright…" Lucas laughed. "Game to eleven."

Nathan smiled, twirled the ball around in his hands and shot it, holding his arm in the air as it went through the basket. "I think that's one."

"I see how it is." Lucas laughed as he stood right in front of Nathan and shoved the ball into his chest. "Game on."

They continued to play, the score stayed pretty even the entire match, they were tied, and next one to score wins. Nathan dribbled the ball but stopped when he noticed Brooke's arrival to the court. "Tell you what little bro." Nathan said holding the ball out. "If I win, you talk to her. If you win, then I'll leave you alone."

Lucas shook his head as he watched her out of the corner of his eye. "Nate, its no big deal. We broke up." He said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Lucas, how dumb do you really think I am?" Nathan smirked at the blonde boy. "At first, I just let it slide, cause I know you were just trying to help, but now it's just getting ridiculous."

"I don't know what you're talking about Nate." Lucas sighed.

"You can't put your life on hold for mine." Nathan stated. He gave a small shrug and a light smile came to his face. "Life's too short. Come on, I'll even give you the ball."

"I'm not playing." Lucas said folding his arms in front of him on his chest.

"Aw, afraid your little brother will beat you?" Nathan titled his head to the side, a fake pout on his lips. "Who's a chicken?"

Lucas shoved the ball back into his chest. "You keep it. You won't score again anyway." Nathan laughed and dribbled the ball around his legs. He moved forward, Lucas standing closely in front of him, blocking him from the basket.

"You ready for this?" Nathan asked, a cocky smirk on his face. Lucas laughed and lunged for the ball but missed. Nathan took the opportunity to slam the ball through the net, hanging on the rim to rub it in. "And that's how it's done."

"That's just wrong." Lucas said shaking his head and laughing. He nodded to Nathan before walking away and standing in front of Brooke.

"Hey." She smiled weakly. It hurt her to not be able to reach out and touch him. Especially since he looked so hot after he got done playing basketball.

"Listen, Brooke…" He said holding both of her hands in his. "I know this last year with me hasn't been that easy, and I know it was my fault. I just…I'm sorry." He smiled slightly.

"I know you are…" Brooke said rubbing small circles on the back of his hands. "But that still doesn't make it hurt any less. I know you're going through a hard time, I just don't get why I can't help you."

"You are helping me, more than you know." Lucas smiled wider. "But right now, I need to focus on Nathan and everything going on in his world."

"So why can't I help?" Brooke questioned. "I don't get why we can't date. I want to be with you."

"And I want to be with you." Lucas shrugged. "But I'm going to be so caught up, that if we were dating I would be neglecting you. And that would be fair to you. Right now, as much as it hurts me, I think it's better if were just friends."

"See, that's the thing though…" Brooke said dropping his hands, a frown forming on both of their features. She started to back away from him slowly. "I can't be just friends with you."

"Brooke, please…" Lucas pleaded as she walked away. He looked at Nathan who pointed towards Brooke, a stern expression on his face. 'Go' he mouthed towards Lucas. He nodded and grabbed onto Brooke's arm right before she got to her car. He spun her towards him, his lips crashing into hers.

Slowly he pulled back and watched as her eyes fluttered open to meet his. "I can't be friends with you either…pretty girl." He whispered. Her heart melted as he said her nickname.

"So, were…?" She asked motioning between them.

"Yeah." He nodded. "Now come here." He said holding his arms open to hug her.

"No way!" She scoffed stepping away from him. "You're all sweaty."

"So what?" He asked raising his eyes brows, his arms still waiting to be wrapped around her. He stepped towards her, causing her to step back.

"You're sweaty! That's what." She said staring at him expectantly.

"Ok, so you're telling me that we can have hot sweaty sex, but you can't give me a hug?" Lucas smirked as he wiggled his eyebrows.

"Eww, more than I want to ever hear." Nathan laughed loudly behind them. Brooke took her chance and ran towards her car to try to escape him.

"Oh no you don't!" Lucas laughed as he chased after her. He was much faster and within a matter of seconds wrapped his arms around her from the back and lifted her against his chest.

"Lucas Scott!" Brooke squealed as he held her tightly against him, her feet not touching the ground anymore. "You put me down this instant!" He skillfully turned her around in his arms but still held her in the air. He smirked and laughed evilly at her. "Don't you do it!" She cried as he rubbed his hair all over her.

"Who's the hottest man on the planet?" He questioned her, waiting with interest for her answer.

"Everyone knows that." Brooke smiled. "Brad Pitt."

"Wrong." Lucas smiled. He set her gently back on the ground but quickly attacked her with his fingers. She fell on the ground laughing, and he stood above still tickling her. "I'll narrow it down. He's right here, and his last name is Scott."

She laughed harder. "Nathan Scott!" She squealed louder and he tickled her harder. "Lucas stop!" She shrieked as she tried to wiggle away from him.

"I'll stop when you get the question right." He said kneeling down and placing a knee on either side of her body. He rested his weight gently on her waist, careful to not squish her.

"Fine!" Brooke laughed. "You are! Now stop!"

"Nope." Lucas said still tickling her. "You gotta say it. I want to hear you say it."

"Ok, ok." She said trying to hold his hands still but failing. "Lucas Scott is the hottest man on the planet. Happy now?"

"Very." He smiled as he stopped tickling her. He grinned down at her as she smiled up at him. Slowly he rolled off from her and lay down next to her, his head resting on his arm. He reached over with his other hand and pulled her towards him so her head was resting on his shoulder. "Check it, it's a rabbit." Lucas said pointing up at the clouds.

"Lucas, its just clouds." Brooke laughed lightly.

"Just clouds?" Lucas scoffed lovingly. "Me and Haley used to lay on the café roof and watch them all day long. We would make a day out of it; we would have competitions to see who could find the most animals."

"In clouds?" Brooke laughed again.

"Yeah." Lucas smiled at the memory. "Like right there, there's a turtle." He said pointing above them.

"I don't see it." Brooke said squinting her eyes.

"It's right there." Lucas said tracing its outline with his finger. "That's its head, and that's its shell. And those are its legs, and there's its tail."

"That's pretty cool." Brooke admitted. She turned gently so he wouldn't notice and watched as he gazed at the clouds above. His eyes were a crystal blue, almost the same color as the sky.

"Do I get to play too?" Nathan laughed lightly as he lay down next to Brooke. She pushed Lucas' arm off of her and laid her head on Nathan.

"Always stealing my woman." Lucas laughed with a fake pout.

"I can't help it if they like me better." Nathan laughed as he wrapped his arm around Brooke. "What can I say, I'm a charmer, they just like me better." He said with a light shrug.

"It's true." Brooke laughed playing along.

"Tough luck bro." Nathan smirked sarcastically. They spent the rest of the day, just staring at the afternoon sky. They watched as the clouds drifted by and tried to find shapes in them. They all found peace in knowing that they could forget about everything and just have some fun. But they all knew, that soon enough, that their lives would be altered drastically again.


	6. Boys And Girls

Hey...  
Just want to start off by thanking everyone who is reading. Also I want to say a special thanks to everyone who has reviewed. So thanks. It truly does mean a lot.  
With that said, here's chapter 6.

Summary: A piece of their world was ripped away. Is their hope enough to bring it back...Or will they be forced to move on? (Nathan&Lucas) (Brucas)

**BOYS AND GIRLS  
CHAPTER 6**

_Never deprive someone of hope; it might be all they have.  
-H. Jackson Brown Jr._

Today was the day. In a mere few hours, he would become a father. He had dreamt about this day since he found out, but his dreams were never like it truly was. In his dreams, Haley was there, and after she gave birth, he kissed her hard on the lips. But he knew that it wouldn't happen, that it was pure fantasy.

He stood obliviously in the middle of the worn-down court, the rain pounding down around him. He blinked the small drops from his eyelashes and watched as it slashed down around him. To him there was something mysterious and intriguing about the rain. For reasons unknown to him, it made him feel whole again, as if Haley was standing next to him, holding his hand.

Nobody really understood his untiring need to be in the rain. It entranced him, called him; in a way it drew him into it unwillingly. He was held captive as the water seeped through his clothes, causing him to shiver.

He walked slowly through the streets, people rushing past him searching for cover, but he walked leisurely towards his house. "You're going to catch pneumonia." Brooke laughed from the swing on his front porch. Lucas quickly put out the cigarette and flicked the butt across the lawn.

"Eh." Nathan shrugged effortlessly. He stepped up onto the porch, snatching Lucas' lighter as he entered the house. They stood and followed him inside. "I'm gonna go get changed, you guys better be ready when I'm done." He appeared a few minutes later, a bag on his shoulder, and a nervous smile on his face.

"Ready?" Lucas questioned as he held the door open for them to exit. He shut the door behind them, knowing that when they returned, they wouldn't be alone.

* * *

"Alright." The surgeon said standing in front of the group that had gathered in the waiting area. "Nathan, you'll be in the operating room with us. The others will be watching through an observation window."

"Actually…" Nathan asked nervously. "I was wondering if my brother Lucas could be in there too?"

"Sure." The doctor said handing them each a pair of scrubs. "You just have to hang back, make sure you don't get in the way."

"Go get 'em Nate." Peyton patted his back before they left. Nathan and Lucas stood nervously in the operating room as the doctors put Haley under anesthesia, just in case. Lucas smiled lightly at the small group that was watching from the window. He held the camera tightly in his hands and recorded as the doctors made the first incision.

"This is it." Nathan whispered anxiously as the doctors opened Haley's stomach up. He inched closer, wanting to get a better view.

"Alright." The head doctor said pulling a baby out of Haley's stomach. "We've got baby A, and it's a boy." He gently handed the infant to the nurse who promptly took away the crying child and cleaned him off. He reached in again, once again returning with another baby. "And baby B, it's a girl."

Lucas followed the nurse as she laid the baby next to the other one. The nurse wrapped the boy up in a blue blanket and placed him in Nathan's arms. "Hey little guy." Nathan whispered. He smiled as a tear slipped down his cheek and landed on his lips. The nurse then wrapped the baby girl and handed her to Lucas who set the camera, still on, on the table.

"We're going to close her up…" The doctor informed Nathan. "Then we'll bring her to the ICU. The nurse has to take the babies for a bit, bring them to the nursery, but you can follow her."

Nathan nodded as the nurse took his son away, then his daughter and followed her out of the room. Lucas grabbed the camera and followed closely behind them. "We need names for the birth certificate." The nurse said once she got the new-borns settled.

"Oh um." Nathan fumbled. In all of their preparing for the babies they had actually never discussed names. "Oh! How 'bout, I name the boy, you name the girl?" Nathan questioned Lucas.

"Really?" Lucas asked shocked. Nathan nodded and Lucas smiled widely as a name popped into his head. "What about, Caitlyn Haley Scott?"

"Yeah, I like that." Nathan said smiling down at his daughter. "And for him…oh, I got it, what about, James, cause of Haley's last name, and then Lucas Scott. James Lucas Scott."

"Thanks Nate." Lucas patted him on the back. Nathan nodded and watched his two new children sleep. He couldn't keep his eyes off of them. The others slowly joined them, all wanting to see the new additions.

"So?" Brooke asked excitedly from Lucas' lap. "What are their names?"

"James Lucas Scott and Caitlyn Haley Scott." Lucas said proudly.

"Caitlyn looks just like Haley." Jake said holding the small girl in his arms.

"Yeah, she does." Peyton said standing next to him, captivated by her. "But Nate man, you sure they're yours?"

"Excuse me?" Nathan choked.

"Its just that…" Brooke said holding James in her arms. "He looks nothing like either of you."

"What do you mean?" Nathan said hovering above them, studying his son.

"He doesn't look like you guys." Brooke said pushing the blanket back from his head. "I mean, where in the hell did the blonde hair come from."

"I dunno." Nathan said stroking the little bit of hair his son did have. "My mom is blonde hair, probably from her."

"He almost looks like Lucas." Jake laughed. "He's got the shaggy hair, the light blue eyes, he's a mini-Luke."

"Well he had Nate as a father, poor kid doesn't have a good chance." Lucas laughed. "At least he had his looks."

"Shut up." Nathan laughed pushing Lucas' shoulder. He took James gently from Brooke and cradled him in his arms. "Leave my son alone."

"Hey listen, I'm gonna go make sure they got Haley settled." Lucas said standing from the chair. He kissed Brooke's forehead lightly and walked towards the door. "I'll be back in like, five minutes."

He walked down the familiar halls, a new bounce in his step. "Scott?" He asked the receptionist. She flipped through a few papers and eventually typed something in on the computer.

"Room 27." She said pointing down the hall. "Just coming out of anesthesia, Dr. Jacobs is in with her now."

"Uh, no." Lucas said a little baffled. "Haley Scott, she's in a coma."

"Haley James Scott…" The lady read the screen. "Room 27, says she's coming out of anesthesia after a c-section." Lucas nods, confusion flooding his mind.

He walks down the halls, and they seem as if they are abandoned. Slowly he pushes open the door, the room is dark, and shadows are cast across the wall. He takes a second and stands quietly by the door letting his eyes adjust to the change in light. He shifts slightly, the necklace around his neck clinking in the other wise quiet room.

And that's when he hears it, the most minuscule of whispers. 'Luke' it says gently, but his ears tune to it, grasp at it and pull it to him. His mind swirls, the room swirls. He stumbles backward knocking down trays as he does and his back slams roughly against the plain wall. The room starts to become darker as his knees slowly start to falter.

The room begins to fade away to darkness. And then, in a second of clarity, he sees the brown eyes that he has longed to see for nine months; the eyes that he never thought would meet his again. And then, the world turns black and his body slumps to the floor.


	7. Rescued

"This is James Lucas Scott." He said proudly, tears streaking down his already tear-stained face, as he handed his new son over. He physically felt sick to his stomach, but at the same time, he felt like he could do anything. His stomach was churning with pure elation.

He placed the small infant onto her lap, her arms too shaky and weak to hold him securely. There were no words to describe the sensations and feelings running through her body. She felt numb, and yet, she was being flooded with old, familiar feelings.

"And this," He said breaking her from herself. "Is Caitlyn Haley Scott." The child was once again placed onto her lap, next to her slightly older brother. He watched blissfully as she took them in, her face matching his, tears streaking steadily towards their chins.

She shivered at his touch; it was comfortingly familiar, as his fingers grazed her cheek. He wiped away her tears, but his efforts were futile as fresh drops soon replaced them. Her eyes locked with his blue ones, his locking with her brown ones, they had both missed the formerly familiar sight. It had been almost 10 months since the last time, and now, they couldn't stop. Both held a fear, that if they looked away, for even a fleeting moment, that somehow, they would be gone.

---

_"I thought Lucas was coming back." Brooke yawned sleepily as she stretched her arms above her head. Nathan mumbled something blearily from the makeshift bed beside her. She turned her head, her muscles aching from the uncomfortable position she was forced to sit in, towards the clock. 12:23 am. Lucas had been gone for almost thirty minutes, and in the mean time, they had all fallen asleep in various spots around the room._

_'Nathan Scott to reception, Nathan Scott to reception.' A faint voice rang through the hospital speakers. He grunted tiredly, his legs creaking as he rolled from the bed. He ran his hand through his undoubtedly messy hair and down his groggy face._

_He trudged leisurely through the halls, his eyes still half-shut, to the front desk. "Nathan Scott." He mumbled to the woman sitting perkily behind the tall counter. He scowled as she flashed him a friendly smile._

_"Ah, Nathan Scott." She repeated joyfully as she typed his name into her computer. He tapped his fingers impatiently on the marble counter, annoyed that he was woken from his sleep. "I see your wife just gave birth to twins." She said conversationally. "How's your wife doing?"_

_He furrowed his brow at her question, his eyes squinting to read her nametag. Everybody in the wing knew who he was; he almost never left the hospital so he was a regular to the staff. They often brought him food, clothing, anything they thought would make him comfortable. Judging by her energy and oblivion to him, he figured she had to be new._

_"Nathan." Dr. Andrews broke Nathan from his bitter glare at the naïve woman. Dr. Andrews took Nathan by the arm and quickly escorted him down the halls._

_"What's going on?" Nathan asked, now fully awake. Dr. Andrews pushed open a door and Nathan followed in behind him. "Lucas." He said rushing to his brother's bedside, fear and pain already starting to build inside him._

_Dr. Andrews grabbed a chart from the end of his bed and stood on the other side in front of the drawn curtain. "He fainted." Dr. Andrews stated to Nathan._

_"What, why?" Nathan questioned agitatedly. He placed his hand on the older boy's forehead, his fingers stroking the long tufts of blond hair. He stared at the doctor nervous and confused. A wide grin broke out onto Dr. Andrews face. "What?"_

_"He fainted…" Dr. Andrews said placing the chart onto the nightstand by Lucas' bed. He turned around, his hand grasping the paper-thin curtain that separated Lucas from another patient and pulled it open. "…Because of this."_

_It hit him like a pile of bricks. It was as if something, or in this case someone, had taken his breath from his lungs. He fought to get it back but he couldn't. His heart instantly jumped up, and with each beat threatened to explode from his chest. "Ha...Haley?" He asked uncertainly. There was no way that she was looking back at him, he had to be dreaming._

_She blinked at him, a grin firmly planted on her lips. She still looked weak, frail, but unlike before, she held life. He rubbed harshly at his eyes, threatening to gouge them out if they were deceiving him. "Nathan." She spoke softly. His world suddenly came crashing down around him._

_---_

"Let me take them for a while." Peyton said gently as she scooped James into her arms and placed him into Jake's. She grabbed Caitlyn and led everyone except Nathan from the room.

"God I missed you." Nathan whispered softly as he flung his arms around her forcefully. He breathed in her scent, and shivered with delight as her thin arms caressed his neck.

He pulled back slowly, his fingers intertwining with hers. An instinctual smile formed on his features as her fingers caressed his. _"If I could give you my breath I would, if I could give you my heart, I would. I will give you the world if you just come back."_ She whispered hoarsely, a fresh batch of tears stinging at both of their eyes.

He blushed sheepishly, something he rarely did. "You heard me?"

She nodded, a smile tugging at her lips at his reddish tint. "It's what kept me alive." He once again buried his face into her soft hair, his arms never wanting to let her go.

"Haley!" Another voice filled the room. A smile appeared on both of their faces as they watched him stir. "Haley!" He shouted from his sleep again. Slowly his eyes fluttered open, his body jerked as he scanned the room. He panted heavily as he searched for any sign of her.

"Lucas, chill." She said from the other side of the curtain. Nathan kissed her forehead before jogging around and opening it, revealing a shocked Lucas.

"Haley." He managed to squeak out. He tried to pull himself up, but he was till weak. Nathan guided him up and to her bedside.

"Hey buddy." She whispered and held her arms up. Without hesitation he launched himself into her waiting arms.

"I missed you so much Hales." He whispered into her ear. Tears streamed from all of their eyes. "Don't you ever, ever do that to us again."

She nodded her head quickly, a smile plastered to her face. "I promise."

"Mr. Scott." A doctor peeked his head into the room. "May I talk to you for a moment?" Nathan nodded, gave Haley another lingering kiss, and left the room.

"Can we make this brief?" Nathan said throwing once last glance over his shoulder before the door shut. "I kinda wanna get back to my wife."

"Nathan…" A new doctor said tentatively. "What happened today, that isn't supposed to happen. People who are pronounce brain dead don't just magically awaken."

Nathan nodded, he understood what they were saying, but right now his mind was solely on Haley and being with her, not all of their medical stuff. "But she did. Which means a miracle happened or somebody screwed up. Now I don't care why she is awake, I just want to know if she's going to be ok."

"We ran tests, everything seems to be in order." The doctor said looking at a stack of papers he held in his hands. "Of course she's going to be in the hospital for a while, so we can monitor her and make sure she stays that way."

"Yeah, yeah that's fine." Nathan said distractedly as he heard Haley laugh from within. His heart melted at the sound. He pushed the door open, throwing a 'thanks' over his shoulder, as it swung shut behind him.

"I'm just gonna go." Lucas said giving her a kiss on the forehead and then the cheek. "I'll go see how my niece and nephew are doing with Brooke."

"You left them with Brooke?" Haley exclaimed dismayed. Lucas laughed, as did Nathan.

"They're fine Hales." Nathan assured her.

"I love you Hales." Lucas smiled from the doorway, a serious expression on his face.

"I love you Luke." Haley mocked him with faux compassion. She stuck her tongue out causing a laugh from him. "For real, I guess." She smiled rolling her eyes at him as he too stuck his tongue out.

"How you feeling?" Nathan asked concerned. He held her hands tightly in his and couldn't stop staring at her. His heart hadn't slowed down at all since he first saw her awake.

"Like I've been laying in the bed for the past 10 months." She sighed loudly and then broke out into a smile. When she noticed his serious expression she quickly quieted. "I feel fine Nate." She assured him.

He nodded and pursed his lips as his eyes wandered up and down her body. A devilish smirk came to his lips. "You look fine too." He said huskily in her ear, which earned him a swat to the chest.

"Nathan!" She laughed lightheartedly. "My turn, how are you?"

Nathan rolled his eyes, a groan escaping his lips. "You're in the hospital and you're asking how I am? Isn't there something wrong with this picture?"

"No, now answer." Haley stated. "I mean it, I want to know."

"Ok…" Nathan nodded in agreement. "I've been horrible without you. I can't sleep, I don't want to eat. I barely play basketball anymore. The only person I really talk to is Luke, and I feel bad cause I know he is dealing too. And I just…I miss you. I need you Hales."

A frown formed on her face. She raised her hand and cupped his cheek gently. "I'm sorry." She mumbled.

"No." He said determinedly, shaking his head for emphasis. "You can't apologize for something that isn't your fault."

"How is Luke doing?" She questioned him. "He kept avoiding my questions."

"Well a lot better now." Nathan smiled. "But before, he was taking it just as hard as I was. Hell, he even broke up with Brooke a couple times. They're back on track now though."

"Good…" Haley yawned. "Uh, I feel like I haven't slept in ages."

"Yeah, right." Nathan laughed. "You wanna take a nap?" Haley nodded her head as she tried to stifle another yawn. "Haley, I need you to promise me something."

"Anything."

"Promise me you'll wake up again." He said fearfully, tears stinging the back of his eyes. He could feel the lump forming in the back of his throat.

She scooted over carefully towards the opposite side of the bed and then patted the empty spot. "Come here." She mumbled, her eyes half closed. He scooted onto the bed and scooped her into his arms. His fingers ran through her hair, stroking it lovingly.

"Promise me Haley." He mumbled as she closed her eyes.

"I can't." She mumbled. He let a few tears stray down his cheeks.

He shook his head even though she couldn't see him. "Haley, no. Promise me, you have to." Nathan pleaded with her.

She opened her eyes slight and tilted her head to look at him. "I love you Nathan Scott."

He licked the tears away from his lips and nodded. "I love you Haley James…Scott." He smiled as he kissed the tip of her nose. She nodded and slowly shut her eyes again. It stung his heart as she did.

"Hey Nate." She opened them again and shifted so she was facing him. She leaned her head in and brushed her lips against his. "I promise." She mumbled against his lips and once again closed her eyes. He watched as her breathing fell into a steady rhythm and she seamed at ease. Slowly he too fell asleep; one hand wrapped around her, the other holding her hand tightly in his.


	8. Your Eyes In The Moonlight

Uh, Hey...  
So I want to start off by apologizing to everyone who is reading this. I kind of lied last time, not on purpose. Again, like the last time, I forgot that I was posting my stories on this site. On the last update I promised that I wouldn't, but what do you know? I did. So let's pray that I don't again. This story only has one more chapter after this one, so hopefully I will remember long enough!  
Anyway, Just want to thank everyone for reading and reviewing.  
Now onto chapter 8...

Summary: A piece of their world was ripped away. Is their hope enough to bring it back...Or will they be forced to move on? (Nathan&Lucas) (Brucas)

**YOUR EYES IN THE MOONLIGHT  
CHAPTER 8**

_  
Pray that your loneliness may spur you into finding something to live for, great enough to die for. -Dag Hammarskjold_

The older boy leaned his back against the pillar of the house, sighing as the night-air hit his face. He never thought he would feel this way, he thought, no, he promised himself, that if Haley woke up, that everything would be ok, that everything would be right. But he knew that everything was still far from it.

He blew the smoke from his mouth, the white gas standing out from the dark-night sky. The door creaked open behind him and Brooke stood quietly beside him, occasionally coughing from the intense smell of his cigarette. She knew not to push him, that eventually he would open up.

She couldn't help but notice the subtle differences in his face. To the untrained eye, he still looked the same, but she could notice the change. And not only the change to his appearance, but to his mind and soul. He had aged.

He didn't seem as open, and he was definitely less optimistic. He had long since lost his passion for things, and he no longer took pride in anything. And by far, the most devastating change, was that his eyes no longer held the liveliness and excitement for life as they had before. The once piercing, cobalt-blue orbs, had lost their intensity, and only skimmed the surface of whatever they were focusing on.

"Am I wrong?" He asked softly, his eyes still gazing up at the innumerable stars. His hand brought the cigarette to his lips again. He could sense her puzzlement when she didn't answer. "I mean, is it wrong to not feel…happy?"

She had to admit, she wasn't expecting that type of inquiry. She studied him and yet still couldn't read him like she regularly could. "Do you think it's wrong?" She countered.

He sighed as he flicked the butt out into the sunburned grass. "A part of me says 'yeah'. That most people would be grateful for what I have. I mean, my life isn't all that bad; I've got Nate, and I've got you. And my mom. And Haley is getting better. Plus James and Caitlyn. That part of me says that I have no right to complain."

She nodded in understanding, they were fortunate. "What does the other part say?" She asked gently.

"I don't know." Lucas shrugged. He sat down lightly on the front steps, his eyes still fixed upward. "I can't help but think, what if I'm being held back? What if I'm being stopped from really living? I mean, I keep wondering if there's more out there."

She sat down beside him and rested her head on his shoulder; his arm unconsciously wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer to him. "Well, what's holding you back?"

"Me." He stated solemnly. "I'm holding myself back."

A faint smile lingered on her lips as she spoke. "Well then stop."

"Yeah." He scoffed. "I wish it were that easy."

"Luke, look at me." She lifted her head and used her fingers to turn his eyes to meet hers. She offered him a small, encouraging smile. "You know that I'm rarely serious, so I want you to listen to me, and listen well." He nodded so she continued.

"You wanted my opinion, and I'm going to give it to you." He opened his mouth to disrupt, but she placed her finger delicately on his lips to prevent him from talking. "You've changed…a lot. You're not the same boy that used to inspire me to want to do more…to be more. And I think, that if you feel that something is holding you back from being who you want to be, then you need to work past it."

"Brooke…" He tried to interrupt again, but she again silenced him.

"Because the Lucas Scott that I fell in love with never let anything get in his way and stop him from getting what he wanted." Brooke smiled lovingly as she cupped his cheek in her hand. "And if you're the boy that I though I knew, then you wouldn't stop until you got it. So you need to forget about everything else, forget about everybody, and do what it takes for you to be happy again."

He nodded, his brow furrowed in thought. "You know I love you right?" He questioned her determinedly.

"Yeah." She smiled warmly. He couldn't help but admire her seemingly perfect dimples, and the way her smile radiated through her copper-brown eyes. "And I understand that you need to see what's out there." She said gesturing to the outside world. "But I'll always be here, loving you."

A small, faint smile crept leisurely to his lips. "Come with me." He demanded as he stood and held his hand out for her to take. He noted the confusion playing on her face even after she took his hand. "You're just going to have to trust me." He murmured as he led her down the abandoned street in the middle of the night.

"I do." She replied as he pulled her hurriedly along. He didn't bother to watch for cars as he crossed the street and took a short-cut that he and Nathan had found through an abandoned construction yard. She smiled ruefully to herself as they stopped in front of the secluded court that they had spent many hours at. "Why here?"

"Because." He said finally dropping her hand and strolling out into the middle of the aged flat-top. "Before I met you, I used to come here all the time."

"Yeah." She laughed lightly. "Even after you met me."

"Yeah but…" He said as he stood in front of her. "Before I met you, I used to come here because I had to. Basketball was my life."

She laughed again. "Still is." He mimicked her early motions and placed his finger to her lips to stop her from talking.

"You said that I used to inspire you to want to be more. You said that, that was the boy that you fell in love with." Lucas stated.

"I still love you." She interrupted, her eyes piercing his to show him that she meant it. "I will love you no matter what."

"I know that." He smiled tenderly. "You said that I inspired you. But Brooke, you gave me hope. I came here because basketball was all I had; but then you came along, and showed me that there was so much more out there."

"And also like I said…" Brooke said grasping his hand in hers. "I know that you need to explore…so go. See what else is out there for you Luke, because you were meant for great things."

"See, the thing is though." He said shoving his free hand into his pocket. "I don't want to see what else is out there. You're right, I was meant for great things. But I already found those, right here, with you."

"Lucas…" She whispered as warm tears stung at the back of her eyes.. She couldn't help but notice something change in his eyes. She didn't know if she was imagining it, but she thought she saw a spark within him. She could see the intensity coming back to his eyes.

"No. Brooke..." He said pulling his hand back out of his pocket and holding something firmly in his clasp. "There is nothing out there that will ever make me love you any less. And no matter what else is out there, I know that my life wouldn't be complete without you in it."

"Brooke Davis, I love you with all of my heart. I love everything about you. I love your mind, I love your soul, and I love your heart." He gently wiped away a stray tear that rolled down her cheek with is thumb. "Oh, and well, of course your body."

They both let out a light laugh as he wiped away a few more tears. "But most of all, I love that you can stand here, and put my happiness over yours. That you would sacrifice your happiness to make sure that I found mine." He let go of her hand and pulled it towards him, palm up. "But you wanna know what would make me happy?"

She nodded lightly. Her tears streaked down her cheeks and landed on her soft smile. "More than anything." She whispered. He moved his closed fist over her open hand and placed something cool onto her palm. He bent her fingers closed before she got to see what he had placed into her hand.

Slowly she uncurled her fingers, and her eyes shot from the object to his eyes. "Marry me Brooke." He whispered, his voice cracking faintly from the tears he was trying to force back down.

Her gaze fell to the small ring in her hand again. "Lucas, we…I…" She stuttered. His fingers grazed under her chin as he lifted her eyes back up to his. He slowly leaned in and captured her lips with his.

He pulled back slowly and studied her face as her eyes slowly fluttered open. "Marry me." He stated more firmly. She flung her arms around his neck, the ring still clasped tightly in her hand, and attached her lips to his again. His hands fought to pull her closer but she slowly pulled away.

"God I love this boy." She whispered through her tears as she stroked his face lightly.

"Is that a yes?" He asked bending his knees to meet her eyes directly. She nodded frantically with a wide grin. He took the ring from her hand and slipped it onto her hand. "I love this girl." He whispered like she had seconds earlier. She kissed away the tears that had managed to escape his eyes.

They didn't care about the small drops of water that began to fall down around them. Right now, they were two people that were in love with the person in front of them, and no amount of rain was going to ruin their contentment. Neither could help but remember the last time they stood together in the rain, and couldn't help but notice how far they had come since then.

He held a genuine smile on his face. The question that had once lingered in the back of his mind was no longer there. He had everything that he would ever need, and that was enough for him.

* * *

"Nathan." Haley shook his shoulder lightly. He mumbled something incoherent and batted her hand away. She laughed lightly and shook him again.

"Haley, I don't wanna." He mumbled and tried to turn over but was stopped by the guardrails on the hospital bed.

"Nate, wake up." Haley whispered in his ear. He slowly opened his eyes and an immediate smile came to his face.

"You can't believe how much I've missed this." He smiled contently as he wrapped his arms snuggly around her. "But Hales, what's so important that you have to wake me up in the middle of the night?"

"It's raining." She smiled widely as she gazed out the small window at the heavy falling rain. She turned so she was facing the window and he buried his face into her golden-brown hair. "It's beautiful isn't it?"

He propped himself up onto his elbow and tucked a few stray hairs behind her ear. He couldn't help but sigh contently at his wife. The moon shown dimly into the room and illuminated her face magnificently. "It really is." He murmured with pleasure.


	9. All Of This

_Hey..._

Guess what? I didn't forget! Anyway, this is the last chapter. I just want to thank everyone for reading and reviewing. So thanks..

**ALL OF THIS  
CHAPTER 9**

Nathan couldn't take his eyes off of her; she looked so frail, like she was going to break if he touched her. His face was stained with fallen tears, his eyes puffy and red. He slowly reached out and took her hand in his gently; it was warm.

The door slowly creaked open; the blonde boy stuck his head in, but quickly entered the room fully. "Nate, what's wrong?" He questioned his brother after he saw his tears. He quickly sat down on the bed and stoked the woman's hair gently.

A smile broke through his tears as he held her hand. "Nothing, man, absolutely nothing." His eyes never once left his wife. His world was finally becoming happy again. He had convinced the doctors to let him take her home; so here she lay, in their bed, sleeping peacefully; and he couldn't be happier.

A shrill cry abruptly filled their ears and disrupted them from their comfortable admiration of the sleeping girl. "I'll get 'em." Lucas whispered.

"Yeah, thanks." Nathan nodded absentmindedly as Haley moved subtly. Lucas stood up carefully and headed towards James' room.

"Hey Nate." He said pausing in the doorway. "I gotta talk to you later; it's kinda important."

"Sure." Nathan replied as Lucas waved offered a small wave and ventured down the hall to assuage a crying James. Haley stirred, and her eyes slowly opened. Nathan's lips instinctively curled into an authentic grin.

She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, and stretched at the same time. "If I didn't know better I would think you're crazy." She yawned playfully as he kissed her hand that he still held securely.

"Crazy for you." The infamous smirk played on his face as he kissed her forehead. He helped her sit up and lean against the headboard. "Have good dreams?"

She answered with a non-committed shrug. "You hungry?" He questioned her attentively as he slid into his side of the bed.

Again another shrug. "You don't have to baby sit me Nate." She teased as she conspicuously slipped her fingers through his. He played inattentively with her ring as she rested her head against his shoulder.

"I'm just making sure you're comfortable." He stated mock-defensively and then let out a heavy sigh. She let out a light giggle, a sound that he had without doubt, greatly missed.

Lucas strolled in carrying James in his arms. "I think someone is hungry." He said gently placing him in Haley's arms. Haley shifted and started to nurse him.

Nathan watched amused as Lucas shifted nervously and tried to advert his eyes away from Haley. "I'm, uh…I'm just gonna go." Lucas stuttered as he head swiftly towards the door.

Nathan let out an amused laugh. "Luke, dude, its just nursing." Nathan said gesturing towards his son. "A boy's gotta eat. Besides, you said you wanted to talk."

"Right, yeah." He smiled sheepishly and sat in the opposite corner. He studied the chair, picking at the stray threads as he tried to clear his head. "Um…its just that…"

Nathan glanced up from James and watched as Lucas shifted nervously. "Just that…?" He prompted Lucas to continue.

"Alright, I'm just gonna say it." Lucas stated taking a shaky breath in. "Brooke and I…we're going to get married."

"Married…." Haley scoffed skeptically. "As in, 'I do', 'you may now kiss the bride', married?"

Nathan blinked rapidly, his mouth hanging open as he tried to think of what to say. "When…when did you decided this?"

"A couple days ago." Lucas said trying to read them. His hands still picked at the chair as he watched for any sort of sign. "What do you think?"

Nathan scoffed again, a now obvious expression of displeasure evident on his weary face. "I think you're crazy." He laughed cynically. "You're rushing into it."

Lucas nodded, and pulled himself from the chair. "I'm just gonna go." He said without waiting to hear their response and exited the room, his door slammed shut a few seconds later.

Nathan stood from the bed, with a little push from Haley, and walked down the hall. "Luke." He said tapping gently on the door with his knuckles; he got no reply. "Lucas." He tried again, still no reply. "Lucas, open the damn door." He sighed.

The door swung open and Lucas flopped down onto his bed. "You think I'm crazy?" He questioned as Nathan sat down on the edge of his bed.

Nathan laughed lightly, "Yeah, a little." He sighed when he noticed Lucas' serious expression. "I just think you're rushing it. You guys haven't been dating that long this time, I just think that you should give it a little more time."

Lucas pushed himself up and propped his weight on his elbows. "I'm in love with Brooke, and no amount of time is going to change that. I know that I'm going to end up with her for the rest of my life, why not start that now?"

"Because." Nathan stated. "You guys have the worst history ever, and I know that you guys love each other, but I think that you guys should slow down."

Lucas sighed as he thought of a way to explain. "Ok, but here's my thing. Why waste time waiting on something that I know is going to happen anyway? I know that you want to spend every second of everyday with Haley, and I want to with Brooke. So why wait?"

Nathan knew he had been defeated. He patted his brother on the back and then made his way to the doorway. "Oh, Luke." He said turning around to face him. "Just one more thing."

"What?" Lucas questioned.

"I am the best man, right?" He smirked. He ducked as a stuffed basketball flew at his head and laughed as he made his way down the hall back to his room.

"You fix everything?" Haley asked as he lay back down beside her. She carefully placed James' in his arm and admired her husband as he held their son.

He nodded as he stroked his son's blonde hair. "Of course."

"Good boy." Haley mocked him as she patted him playfully on the head. "Mac and Cheese." She stated.

She watched as his face twisted into confusion. "What?"

"You asked if I was hungry. I want Mac and Cheese." She stated as if it were blatantly obvious.

"Haley!" Brooke came bouncing hectically into the room. She plopped down widely on the bed causing Nathan and Haley to bounce sideways.

"And you wonder why I call you Tigger." Haley laughed loudly as she shifted on the bed to get comfortable again. Brooke wiggled her way up between them, scooting Nathan towards the edge of the bed.

"Morning Brooke, how are you doing?" Nathan stated sarcastically. "Hello, Nate. I'm just swell, how are you?" He faked her voice. "I'm great Brooke, thanks for asking."

"Morning Nate." Brooke smirked as she kissed his cheek and then turned quickly back to Haley. "TutorWife, guess what?"

Haley raised her finger to her chin in faux thought. "Um, let me think." She said tapping her chin. "You and Lucas are getting married?"

"You…I…no fair." Brooke pouted and then smacked Nathan in the chest for him laughing. "How did you know?"

"Well first," Haley said grabbing her hand and holding her ring up to her own face. "You're wearing the ring."

"And I might have already told them." Lucas said entering the room and sitting against the footboard.

"Ugh, no fair." Brooke pouted as she crawled down and sat beside him. "Everyone knows that's the girls job."

Lucas pulled her closer to him and placed a comforting kiss on her forehead. "Nate kinda is my brother. I think it's only right that I get to tell him."

"Be right back." Nathan said walking out of the room; he returned a few seconds later with Caitlyn in his hands.

"Oh, oh, oh!" Brooke clapped loudly. "Let me hold her!" Nathan carefully placed Caitlyn into her arms and she cradled her as she sat next to Lucas. "I want one." She smiled down at the baby girl.

"Uh uh, no way." Lucas shook his head adamantly causing everyone else to laugh.

"Not right now." Brooke corrected herself. "Just…someday."

"I want a boy." Lucas stated.

"Why?" Haley questioned. "So you can teach him basketball?"

"Duh." Both Nathan and Lucas stated seriously.

"Haley?" Peyton questioned as she peeked around the corner. "Ah, there you are." She said walking into the room, followed by Jake carrying Jenny.

"Party in Haley's room." Haley laughed jokingly.

"I see you're feeling better." Jake stated as he kissed her forehead affectionately. "I come bearing gifts. Chocolate can make anyone feel better." He said passing her a bag full of candy.

"Nathan, we're getting a divorce." Haley stated with a serious expression. "I'm officially marrying Jake." She smiled as she rummaged through the bag.

"P. Sawyer!" Brooke squealed excitedly as she passed Caitlyn off to Lucas. "Guess what!"

"Lucas and Brooke are getting married." Nathan cut in quickly with a vengeful smirk.

"Nathan!" Brooke said hitting him repeatedly; none of which seemed to affect him as he laughed uncontrollably.

"That's what you get for not greeting me properly in my own house." Nathan stated proud of himself.

"Brooke, that's awesome!" Peyton said pulling Brooke into a hug. "I'm glad for you Luke. You deserve to be happy."

"Yeah, me too." Jake said shaking his hand.

"Thanks guys." Lucas smiled.

"So Nate, how's it feel to be a dad?" Peyton asked curiously as she watched him rock James back and forth delicately in his arms.

"Its great." Nathan smiled. "They're my own little pieces of Haley."

Haley discretely rummaged through the drawers of her nightstand and managed to pull out a camera. She smiled happily to herself and clicked the button capturing her family, all with wide smiles on their faces.


End file.
